Waking Up To Us
by Mernie
Summary: “Come with me?” She timidly asked him. He looked at her a little confused before following her out the door. Of course he would. Summer


A/N: I basically wrote this one shot a couple months ago, but never really finished it. Then I was listening to some music the other day, and I got the urge to complete it. So, thanks to my musical inspirations for this story; '_Raga Rockers', 'The Beatles' and 'Belle and Sebastian'. _

Oh, and we go into the "future" here. Well, it could be. Just read, and hopefully, enjoy.

Disclaimer: You know and I know; I don't _really_ need it then, do I?

-------

She had been coming to this café as often as she could for a couple of years now. It was the one place she could relax completely; where she didn't have to think of little things that needed to be done around the apartment or things at work that she just _had to_ do.

No, this little rustique café located in the middle of the urban city of New York was where Summer Roberts could relax and feel at ease. The little café with chairs and sofas you felt like you could drown in; their pillows way too squishy. She was even on first name basis with the employers; she and the waiter, Anita, would send each other knowing smiles when a particularly odd customer entered the café. Something which happened a lot considering the neighbourhood wasn't one of those filled with plastic people who hid their non-existing souls under layers of designer clothes. Summer enjoyed it immensely. This was so far away from the place and surroundings she had grown used to while being a kid. People didn't have perfect teeth, perfect clothes, or, "perfect" lives.

Summer was sporting a simple white wife beater with a dark, flowery skirt that she had found at her favourite vintage shop in New York. It was one of those the "old" Summer wouldn't be caught wearing, but that the "new" Summer wore with pride. This Summer was confident enough to say to herself, and others, that she was _one of a kind_. She was special. And so she dressed like it. Her style emphasized her personality and independence.

A blonde headed man came up and sat right down next to her. "What a nerve" she thought. He grinned and she returned the smile, though, hers was a fake one. He started chatting to her and introduced himself as Brad Michaels; and, he looked like a Brad aswell.

Brad with the perfect blonde wavy hair, Brad with the perfect gleaming smile, Brad with the perfect way to seduce women.

"Perfect" Brad wouldn't seduce Summer.

Just as she was contemplating on how to get rid of him in a fairly nice way, she found herself squished like a hot dog between toasted bread. Summer was turned towards one man on the sofa and had one who'd just sneaked up on her behind her back. She didn't get time to turn around and see who the newcomer was before two arms were wrapped tightly around her from the back and she could feel a head resting on her shoulder. Her body froze and she felt terror rising within for this new situation she was put in; colour started fading from her face.

"Hi honey! Sorry I'm late, work was crazy, who's your friend?" The familiar voice made her heart skip a beat, but she could feel her body coming at ease again. She took a deep breath and played along.

"Sweetie, this is Brad. We were just having a _nice_ little conversation."

"That's, umm, _nice_." Her left cheek was kissed; a kiss that lingered and she felt shivers going through her whole body.

Brad looked back and forth between the two faces, obviously confused and unsure as whether he should believe this or not. Summer felt jealous; _he_ could see his face. She could imagine how it had changed. How his eyes probably looked wiser, and she was sure his smile was even cuter than she remembered. She could feel his breathing on her neck, and she had to close her eyes for a second to look through the photo album etched into her memory with pictures of the two of them together.

Brad finally decided it just wasn't worth it, coughed and left the table while ruffling his hair in a confused manner.

She watched as Brad walked out the door and faded into the mass of people out in the street.

She turned and raised her hand to slap _his_ chest, but he was quicker and caught her wrist in his hand.

"Hey, Summer." He said; his grin big and goofy.

"Cohen."

"Fancy seeing you here, eh?"

"What _are_ you doing here?" Her voice and face still cold, her heart warmer than before.

"Um, I moved here a couple weeks ago; the Newport Group transferred me here. Marissa told me you lived in New York."

"She did now, did she? She didn't tell me you'd moved here."

"Well, I did."

"I see that."

She rolled her eyes, and he copied her; looking like a goon. She laughed involuntarily, and his grin made its return. It was difficult being stern and cold with him. And, they had agreed on being somewhat friendly after their break-up. It was mutual, growing up was difficult enough, growing apart, well, it happened. But she couldn't be ignorant when it came to Seth Cohen. Because she did care, and she really couldn't ignore that.

"Oh, Cohen." She said, sighing.

"Let's just enjoy catching up, huh?" He said and sat down on the other side of the small table, so he could look her in the eyes while talking. "I've missed you."

She gave him a grateful smile before she launched into a ramble about her life. Everything he might find interesting and not. Like, her job, her friends, rumours about people back in Newport; which he would either confirm or provide her with new gossip about. He was honestly just glad to hear her voice, full of life, and he laughed as her skirt swirled around her as she walked up to order two chai tea.

He told her about the past three years since their break-up. And her eyes were full of understanding as she listened to him tell her about his fears for moving to New York and starting all over again. It had been his dream, when he was younger, but things had changed, and now, actually living the dream- well, it was difficult and scary, he told her. And she didn't laugh, only slid her hand across the table and lightly squeezed his.

She abruptly got up and gathered her purse and jacket in her hands. "Come with me?" She timidly asked him. He looked at her a little confused before following her out the door. _Of course he would._

-------

They walked in silence for some time enjoying the time and silence as day turned into evening, and the sun moved on to another spot where it would graze the world with its presence. Their hands somehow found each other, and hands were clasped together as they walked. Tighter and tighter as time went by, not letting go, only swinging back and forth between the two bodies. One taller than the other, the other now smiling up towards the lean body to her right.

"You want to sit down?" Seth asked her as they walked deeper and deeper into Central Park. A dark green bench was positioned under an old tree; the tree's branches hung down from it over the bench like an umbrella. An umbrella protecting the bench's occupants from the world surrounding them.

"Did you ever imagine that we would end up here?" She asked him.

He seemed to think of a reply to the question carefully, but his answer came quick nonetheless.

"Yes. _You_ and _I_ would end up here. It was bound to be." He said and gave her a smug smile.

Suddenly she was unsure as to whether they were on the same page. She liked both thoughts; the two of them were meant for something bigger than what is inside the Newport bubble, and, they were meant to meet. They were meant to see each other now, now when they're both older and ready for each other; when they're both _craving_ each other.

Raindrops started falling around them. The big oak tree, their umbrella, shielded them from the rain and so they continued sitting there, talking.

Dream, fears, things they wanted to achieve; going on a journey around the world, being alone, wanting to experience true love for life.

Shy looks were exchanged. As shy as they can be when both are actually aware of just who the person sitting before them really is; what they truly mean to each other.

"Holy mother fu-"Summer shrieked and jumped up. She did some kind of weird chicken dance while she stuck her hand down her top.

Seth doubled over, laughing.

"Rain. Down my top. Not funny." Summer gave him a stern look, but seeing his amused face made her laugh aswell. More and more raindrops fell through the leaves for each second and they were both getting wet.

"Our shelter seems to fail us." She said sadly. "My apartment is just a couple of blocks away from here. Wanna make a run for it?"

-------

They ran up the stairs to her loft apartment, away from the sirens and yelling the streets were currently filled with. Away from the rain and the coldness it brought with it. They laughed as they ran, almost out of breath.

Nearly there

Five more steps

There.

Summer got her keys out of the green purse; found the correct key and pushed the door open. Seth reached out for the keys and she bent down under his arm so she could enter her apartment. Seth followed closely behind with the keychain in his hand as he studied one of the figures dangling from it; a silver mini-replica of the Jesus statue in Rio de Janeiro.

Summer handed him a towel to dry off with. "The Jesus was a gift from Marissa and Ryan, from their trip to Brazil earlier this year. Well, according to Marissa it was Nora who picked it out, so I guess it's actually from her." Summer informed him, referring to her two year old goddaughter.

"Yeah, that Nora." Seth said, shaking his head slightly. "She got me a nut, as a travelling gift from that trip. _A nut._ You're her favourite; I will have to get you a Moses to dangle next to the Jesus."

She only rolled her eyes at his randomness. "Do you need some dry clothes, or?"

"Nah, it was mostly my Jew-fro that took damage from the rain."

She came closer and ran her fingers through his hair. "Yes, it's definitely not what it once was."

She took the keys and towel from him, threw it all onto the bureau near the door and led him towards the couch.

"Sit." She demanded.

"What? No tour of the little Summer house?" He looked at her with fake shock and disappointment written all over his face.

Summer gasped, "Oh my. What a bad host I am!" She replied sarcastically and hit him in the arm.

"Don't try and make me feel guilty, Cohen."

"Right. The rage blackouts." He said, clutching his arm.

She had definitely not lost her strength over the years. In fact, he would bet it had only increased, because he, _of course,_ was much stronger and more macho now.

But, it still hurt.

The living room was white and stunning with tall windows that held a beautiful view.

It was obviously the main room, and the ceiling hung tall over the floor. Seth figured one Seth and two Summers had to stand on top of each others shoulders for them to touch the ceiling.

Maybe one Seth and one Summer was enough.

One Summer would _make sure_ she was enough.

She could stand on Seth's jew-fro to reach the ceiling, he thought.

Yes, random thoughts.

Behind the couch was a set of stairs that lead to a second floor and under that was a hallway with a couple of doors on each side. Seth was certain Neil Roberts had had to pay _a lot_ to give his little girl an apartment like this. A bundle of money spent on his bundle of joy.

Summer called on Seth to join her and skipped down the hallway to the nearest door. She pulled open the door to the left to a blue room with an aquarium next to a pearly white sink. "Bathroom." She hastily said, and Seth managed to count seven red fish before the door was once again closed.

On the other side of the hall was a small room without a door, just a door frame. But the room was filled with books on three walls; from top to bottom. A comfy leather chair was seated under a white lamp in one of the room's corners. Seth studied the room for a second. This was definitely not a room he'd expected Summer Roberts to have; not the Summer Roberts he had dated during High School, anyways. There was a time he had even been surprised she could read, but, he didn't know she _enjoyed_ reading.

Apparently she did.

"Look here!" Summer said, and pulled him into the room. She faced the wall the door was a part of, and Seth was even more amazed; music! Albums were stacked on the wall, and Seth felt mighty proud when he skimmed over the names and couldn't find any trace of a Britney or Christina album.

"This ex-boyfriend of mine worked at a record company. So I used that for all it was worth, and got a lot of free ones from him!" She smirked.

She showed him the two remaining rooms; a green guest room and a cute little kitchen, before they were back in the living room.

"I don't get to see the second floor?" He asked, pouting.

"Umm, nope. Not yet." She used her thumbs to wipe his pout off; making the corners of his mouth turn upwards instead. "Smile, Cohen."

She took his face in her hands and stood on her tip toes, reaching up towards his face; his lips. She pulled his head down to hers and kissed him forcefully, wrapping her arms around his neck.

It was a short kiss, as Seth pulled back after a few moments. They had both known it would happen. It had all been leading up to it since they met earlier that day; it had all been leading up to it since they broke up. They both _knew_ it would happen.

Since they had decided to break up; time had been counting down till they would reunite again. Because it_ would_ happen; it would _always_ happen. Because their bodies, their minds, their souls; they couldn't work without the others presence.

It was like a medicine the doctor prescribes to take each day; avoid it if you may, but you will eventually have to take it. You can't _not_ take it; Summer couldn't _not _kiss him and he couldn't _not_ love her.

Summer took a step back and looked down, not daring to look him in the eyes; not _wanting_ to. She started studying the wooden floor and saw how the imperfections in the various pieces of wood made the tree special.

"It's pretty, isn't it?" He said, but it was more of a statement rather then a question. "Think of where this tree was before it was cut down. How many years it stood there, how many people it outlived, how many love hearts it had carved on it."

He bent down and let his fingers slide across the wood. "Remember ours?"

She sat down beside him and traced the wood where his fingers had touched seconds ago.

"SR + SC Forever." She said and a sigh escaped her lips. That was several years ago, carved onto a tree in Newport. Cheesy.

"SR + SC Forever." He repeated.

"You insisted on adding the dot at the end to make it, like, unquestionable, or whatever."

He kissed her then. There was nothing urgent about the kiss, just an equal understanding between two souls. He cupped her chin with one hand as the other snaked around her back willing her to get closer. She opened her lips slightly and his tongue accepted the invitation to enter her mouth.

They both pulled back a few minutes later, their foreheads resting against each others; both trying to catch their breaths.

"It was to emphasize that it was undeniable." He corrected her.

He gave her an Eskimo kiss and she giggled.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"You wanna see the second floor now?"

"Okay."

He took her hand and pulled her up from the floor, draping his arms around her waist, leaning into a third kiss. The kiss was urgent like the first one and Seth put his hands on her butt, lifting her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist.

He climbed up the steps to the second floor with Summer still attached to his waist. It was an open space where there was a seating arrangement, but there was only one door there, so Seth walked towards it. She bit his earlobe softly, creating sensations that floated through his body; sensations he hadn't felt in years. He somehow managed to get the door opened and stumbled towards the bed where she _somehow_ managed to get his belt buckle opened.

-------

Seth woke up in unfamiliar surroundings, but the scent was familiar.

The scent of her made Seth want to smile.

He smiled.

He felt around on the bed and noticed her absence. To be quite honest, he already knew she wasn't there, there was a big difference between waking up next to her and waking up without her.

Seth was very familiar with the latter feeling after not seeing her for years.

He missed waking up next to her.

But, waking up with her scent was one step closer.

Besides, he would be waking up next to her soon. He would.

_He would. _

-------

He boogied towards the kitchen.

_Boogied_.

Seth Cohen never boogied. _Ever._ But, this day was different. He could boogie because his heart told him to boogie, and, he was giving 'Jackson Five' a run for their money.

He looked into the little library Summer had set up; the room intrigued him.

He entered the room and looked at the music once again. Her taste in music was definitely broader than it had been when they had been dating. He glanced over the album names and found an old classic to listen to.

"_Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter  
Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here _

_  
Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun. _

Summer came into the room with two mugs of coffee and a big grin plastered all over her sleepy face. "I love that song."

"Yeah, me too. It kind of makes me happy. It makes me think of you."

She placed the mugs on the coffee table and climbed onto his lap, straddling his thighs in the process. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and he absentmindedly played with her soft, dark hair.

"You want some breakfast?" She whispered towards his neck.

He pulled her back and wiggled his eyebrows. She laughed and pulled his hair. "Not _that_ kind, silly." She said as she gestured towards a bowl with fruit placed on the table next to the chair.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Summer got a couple grapes and popped them into his mouth one by one.

"Fwanks." Seth said with his mouth full. Summer chewed loudly on some grapes herself before drinking some of the coffee that was now starting to get cold.

"Great breakfast, Sum. Very, um, minimalistic." He said as the grapes were swallowed.

"Oh, shut up. Eat more or you can go and make your beloved cereal if you're not pleased."

"I _am_ pleased." He said, and pulled her face to his.

His tongue danced in her mouth and she pulled back, giggling. "You taste good, grape boy."

"So do you, coffee girl."

"_Lucky_ _you_, then. But, you already knew that, didn't you?"

He gave her a mock 'haha' before getting up, dragging her with him upstairs and mumbling "I'm gonna get me some real _breakfast _for body and mind." Summer snorted at this, but didn't deny him.

How could she ever?

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A/N: Please review! I love getting reviews; they really brighten my day. (/cheesiness). Oh, and I also just noticed most of my stories end in the bedroom. Hmm, I don't know why that is.


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